Sleeping-car.



W. A. ROBBINS.

SLEEPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-7.1915.

Patented July 10, 1917.

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WILLIAM A. ROBBINS, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

swarms-can.

Specification Letters Patent. 1 Patented! July Ill, I911.

Application filed October 7, 1915. Serial No. 54,549. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIM A. ROBBINS, a citizen of the United States, residing in q the city of Portland, county of Multnomah,

and State ofOregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping has as its principal object to provide in a sleeping car a new and novel arrangement of the berths, whereby each berth has a greater vertical dimension for all, or at least a portion, of its length, thus making it possible for the occupant to sit upright therein, with ample clearance for his head. In order to do this, I arrange the berths in staggered, or overlapping, relationship longitudinally of each other, having an upper, or intermediate, berth arranged somewhat lower, when made up, than the present upper berths, and each overlapping the adjacent ends of the two lower berths thereunder. For example, the lower berth would be made up in the usual manner, as with the present modern equipment. An upper berth, instead of being directly above the lower berth for its full length, would be made up with its middle portion supported above the back of the seat, and its opposite ends overlapping the adjacent ends of the two lower berths thereunder. This would give an L-shape berth space under both ends of the upper berth, the taller portion of which extends upwardly past the opposite ends of the berth above. This, of course, necessitates that one of each pair of adjacent lower berths must be made up with the head in the opposite direction, or, in other words, the persons occupying the two adjacent lower berths would lie with their feet toward each other. As it is not uncommon for persons to have their berths made up with their heads in the opposite direction to that which is most common, this will be no' serious objection, and will be more than overcome by the fact that the person can sit upright in his berth. The berth immediately above the seat, I lower somewhat when it is made up by providing it with a double hinge connection with the side of the car, whereby its hinged side, when made up, drops down a distance below the position it occupies when closed up; thus this upper berth is made easy of access and has the benefit of the upper halves of two windows, with a great deal of clear- .ance above, so that the occupant can sit upright, or even stand upright therein.

, A most important feature, made possible by my improved arrangement, is the improved ventilation of both lower and upper berths. creased space, but to window service in both berths.

In order that others may clearly understand my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings one practical embodiment thereof, which I will now describe.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a modern sleeping car with a portion broken out, showing the car in longitudinal section through the aisle, in order to show my improved arrangement of sleeping berths, the arrangement of the seats and berths at 0-pposite sides of the aisle being the same.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view thereof, showing one of the upper berths made up, and showing one in its up posi- ,tion in solid lines, and in down position in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, on a larger scale, showing an upper berth made up in position for use in full lines, and in raised position in dotted lines, showing a hinge connection which makes possible the lowering of the berth to a point below the position occupied under present construction; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view through the aisle of acar, showing a slightly modified arrangement with a; third or high berth arranged between each pair of upper berths.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, 11 indicate the ends of the ordinary Pullman double seats, and 2-2, the lower berths as made up between the seats. 33 designate what I will term intermediate berths, made up ready for use and, as shown, resting down upon the top of the back of the seat immediately thereunder, in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noticed that the berth 3, is hinged at its back edge to the wall by means of a double hinge member 4, adapted to swing downwardly, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, when the berth is let down for use, and to be swun upwardly with the body of the berth, as indicated in dotted lines, when the berth is in its raised position. The usual support- This is due, not only to the ining chain, or 'cable, 5, is attached to the Outer edge of the berth, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3,,;and I have alsoprovided at the rear edgepf each such berth, a sup- 5 porting cable, or chain, 6, adapted to be automatically wound up as the berth -1s raised, by means of a spring-actuated drum, at 7. Every other intermediate berth can be arranged in this manner, thus giving ample head room in the lower berths, at opposite ends of the intermediate berth thereabove.

In order to utilize the upper space above alternate seats, and directly over which there is no berth, I have provided a slightly modified arrangement by constructing a hlgh berth, as 8, Fig. 4, which may be hinged to the side of the car in the usual manner at a point above the windows and still leave ample head room in the lower berths thereunder. When folded up these high berths would appear as 8,. Fig; 1, similar to the intermediate berths 3, when they are closed up, as shown at the right hand end of Fig. 1,

at the broken line. In fact this high berth would be about the same as are the present upper berths, while the intermediate berth would be just as desirable, if not more so, as is the present lower berth, because it can be let down'to a convenient position upon the back of the seatof the present car construction, and also because each intermediate berth would have the benefit of portions of two car windows, whereas the present upper berth has no window service at all.

Referring to the left hand end of Fig. 1, it will be noticed that the intermediate berth 3, for a portion of its length, extends into a recess formed by taking in a portion of the wash room. A panel 9, covers half of the front of the berth space, while the space below said intermediate berth 3, and back of the first seat 1, is usedas a closet 10, for linen and the like.

The berths would be closed off from each .other by means of suitable removable par tition members, as 1l11 and 1212, the partition members 11 being adapted to be inserted at the ends of berths 3 and 3*, while 50 the partition members 12, would be inserted between the lower berths and immediately over the alternate seat backs where there is no intermediate berth, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. Where a high berth construction is used, the partition members 11 would be used at the ends of the intermediate berths and a partition member'13 would be used immediately above the seat back and underneath the body of said high berth, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Thus I have provided lower berths with ample head room and one full window and one-half window, making them more desirable, because much more convenient, than 65 the present lower berths, and I have also provided intermediate berths which are easy -of access from a small stool, or step, and

which have window service and lots of room for the occupant, thus giving perfect ventilation, and I have also made provision for high berths, which are substantially the same as are the present upper berths. It willbe noted that an intermediate berth can only be provided over every alternate seat, and if the high berth arrangement 'is used, the high berths would occupy the spaces abovethe remaining alternate seats, and at a higher location than the down position vention, except as I may be limited by the.

heret appended claims. I- claim: v

1. In asleeping car, a series of seats, ar-

ranged in pairs back to back crosswise of the car, a berth hingedly attached at one side to the side of the car above each alternate pair of seats and adapted to be'let down with its middle portion above the back of said seats, substantially as and for the purpose described. 7

2. In a sleeping car, in combination with a, series of seats arranged back to back in the usual manner, a series of upper berths hingedly secured to the side of the car above alternate seats, and adapted to be let down with their middle under side portions over the backs of said seats, each of said upper berths projecting at its opposite ends over the seats arranged back to back thereunder, substantially as described.

3. In a sleeping car, a series of seats arranged in pairs back to back, a berth hingedly secured at its side to the side of the car with double hinge members, whereby the back edge of said berth can be swung from a pomt above the point of attachment to the side of the car to a point below said point of attachment, said berth beingadapted to be let down with its middle portion above the backs of said seats, whereby its opposite ends project over the two seats arranged back to back, substantially as described. 1

4. In a sleeping car, in combination with a series of double seats arranged back to back, a series of intermediate berths hingedly secured to the side of the car at their outer edges and arranged one above each alternate seat back and adapted to be lowered with its middle portion above said seat back, and a series of high berths hinged to the side -of'the car and arranged above the other alternate seat backs and between said a intermediate berths, and partition members adapted to be inserted at of each berth.

5. In a sleeping car, in combination with a series of double seatsarranged back to back, a series of upper berth bodies hingedly secured to the side ofthe car by a double hinge mechanism, whereby the hinged edge of said berth body can be lowered bodily from an upper to a lower position, as said berth body is let down for use, means for supporting said berth bodies in raised and lowered positions, said berth bodies being arranged above alternate double seats, an upper berth positioned above the back of each of the other alternate seats, whereby to overlap at its opposite ends the seat portions of said double seats thereunder, and

the opposite ends partition members adapted to be inserted' at the opposite ends of'each of said upper berths and at the opposite ends of the berths thereunder, substantially as described.

6. In a sleeping car, a series of lower berths arranged longitudinally of the car, a series of upper berths hingedly secured at their sides to the side of the car and adapted a series of upper berths arranged longitudinally of the car above the adjacent ends of alternate pairs of lower berths, whereby the to back, a berth structure hingedly secured 4 i to the side of the car, longitudinally of the car, and adapted to be let down so that its middle portion rests directly above the back of said seat, its opposite ends projecting over and above the seat portions of said double seat, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a sleeping car of the character referred to, in combination therewith, a series of double seats arranged transversely of the car at each side of a middle aisle, each of said double seats havin a common back, berth structures hinge y secured to the sides of the car, and extending longitudinally thereof, above alternate double seats, each of said berth structures being adapted to be let down into position for use with its middle portion directly above the common back of the double seat thereunder, with its opposite ends projecting over and above the seat portions thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Signed at Portland, Multnomah county, Oregon, this 1st day of October, 1915.

' WILLIAM A. ROBBINS. Inpresence of I. M. GRIFFIN,

1C. Simmons, 

